SB2991 SD1

Report Title:

High School Career and Technical Education Programs; DOE

Description:

Authorizes the establishment of high school career and technical education programs within the DOE. Appropriates funds. (SD1)

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2991
TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2002		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to career and technical education.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that in order to prepare students for the dynamic world of work, all educators are challenged to change what is done in all classrooms. Classrooms must provide students with the experiences that will enable them to be successful in the new workplace and a global economy. The changing work environment will necessitate a change in what is taught at the schools.

A career pathway system will allow Hawaii to implement school reform that is designed after several prominent school reform models. One system with six pathways will ensure that all students receive the same educational opportunities that prepare them for postsecondary options. With this system all students can achieve standards that are rigorous and challenging. Career pathways emphasize the integration of all related programs into one cohesive system addressing academic, employability, and technical standards so that the expectation is clear.

Students who have a career or academic focus tend to achieve more than students who have no focus. A career pathway system will clearly identify programs of study that provide focused learning for students leading to higher achievement, increased career/educational opportunities and other postsecondary options.

A career pathway system allows resource allocation in a way that is directly linked to students in programs of study and their achievement, allowing more accountability. Students learn and achieve success in career and technical education programs that:

(1) Are based on academic, employability, and technical standards;

(2) Integrate employability skills along an increasingly more complex continuum; and

(3) Are articulated between secondary and postsecondary levels as well as the community.

SECTION 2. High school career and technical education programs may be designed with the following components:

(1) The curriculum shall be based upon the Hawaii Content and Performance Standards II, industry skill standards, and workplace standards;

(2) A demanding curriculum shall be presented to all students, with an emphasis on core academic programs coupled with high expectations communicated to students, parents, and the community;

(3) The program shall provide opportunities for every child to develop:

(A) Literacy skills;

(B) The ability to perform mathematical functions;

(D) The ability to assess one's self and the total environment to know options and choose life work;

(E) The ability to perform in the world of work and post-secondary education; and

(F) A sense of responsibility to facilitate compatibility with other persons in work and society.

Where practical, the program shall lead to industry or state certification in a field of study;

(4) The curriculum shall be integrated in such a way that it reflects real-world context and application. The curriculum shall emphasize depth over breadth by engaging students in extended learning environments that blend acquisition of knowledge and skills with promoting critical thinking and problem solving;

(5) Students shall be given the opportunity to study essential content in depth;

(6) Expanded learning opportunities shall be provided for students who need them to produce quality work;

(7) Teachers shall use multiple strategies and methods to provide students the opportunity to master the instructional goals and objectives and ensure that students are actively engaged in the learning process;

(8) The curriculum shall ensure that students are able to:

(A) Read and interpret the language of the career field they are studying; and

(B) Reason mathematically in the career field they are studying;

(9) The programs shall extend beyond the school campus to take advantage of community resources and learning opportunities by:

(A) Providing work-based learning experiences for all students; and

(B) Providing a strong link back to school-based learning experiences, including academic programs;

(10) Programs shall ensure that each student will develop a personal education and career plan that is reviewed and updated regularly so that students are focused and are making progress towards their personal goals and objectives. The personal education and career plan shall cover grades nine through twelve and the first year beyond graduation from high school. Prior to students selecting career programs of study, opportunities for orientation and career decision-making shall be provided. Students may change programs of study at any time;

(11) Programs shall be designed around career pathways and programs of study conducive to smaller learning environments where students interact with caring adults and mentors;

(12) Career pathways and programs of study options shall be:

(A) Made available to students to ensure that students understand the breadth and scope of careers in the world of work; and

(B) Determined by department of education staff in consultation with business and industry, school staff, and parents and students;

(13) Programs shall form active alliances with parents, postsecondary education, employers, community members, and policymakers to promote student learning and ensure accountability for results;

(14) Programs shall use student assessment and program evaluation data to continuously improve curriculum, instruction, organization, and management to advance student learning;

(15) Programs shall participate in the standards implementation design/focus on learning/accreditation process of continuous improvement;

(16) Programs shall use the self-assessment of quality indicators to determine program goals, which shall be outlined in one-year and four-year plans; and

(17) Programs shall be held accountable for making adequate yearly progress as outlined in their one-year and four-year plans.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $0, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2002-2003, for two full-time equivalent (2.00 FTE) educational specialists positions, one full-time equivalent (1.00 FTE) state resource teacher position, and one full-time equivalent (1.00 FTE) secretary II position to:

(1) Assist in the development of a career pathways system that supports school reform and ensures that all students understand the breadth and scope of careers in the world of work;

(2) Establish curriculum and instructional strategies that encourage the integration of academic, career, and technical content and curriculum; and facilitates extended learning opportunities for all students;

(3) Provide researched-based professional development for administrators, career and technical education teachers, and school staff to advance school improvement efforts;

(4) Devise a system that allows all students to develop self-knowledge, to explore different educational, career, and life options available to them, and to design and implement career and life plans;

(5) Form alliances to promote student learning, create strong ties to business and industry, and establish articulation opportunities with postsecondary institutions;

(6) Leverage multiple resources to support school reform initiatives and the implementation of a career pathway system;

(7) Design a comprehensive data collection system to drive school reform initiatives, and use the data to assess and evaluate the effectiveness of career and technical education programs; and

(8) Establish policies and structures to support the implementation of the career pathway system as an essential component of school reform initiatives.

SECTION 4. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2002.